Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,050 per month in Jubail vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,650 per month in Jubail vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,251 per month in Jubail vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jubail costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Jubail and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Jubail 22% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.48 SAR 24.31

$1.96 ฿64.0

230.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 SAR 151

$18.81 ฿615

113.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 SAR 34.84

$7.92 ฿259

17.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 SAR 10.70

Cappuccino

$3.39 SAR 12.71

$1.91 ฿62.6

77.49%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 SAR 3.10

$0.84 ฿27.41

-1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.35 ฿11.51

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.64 ฿53.5

7.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$1.62 ฿53.1

-39.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.18 ฿38.62

38.14%

Eggs

$2.52 SAR 9.44

$2.01 ฿65.8

25.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 SAR 30.76

$15.89 ฿520

-48.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 SAR 25.85

$3.01 ฿98.5

128.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 SAR 41.96

$10.77 ฿352

3.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$2.61 ฿85.5

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.22 ฿39.88

40.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.91

$1.70 ฿55.7

-7.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.58 ฿51.5

-9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.20

$1.32 ฿43.14

-15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$1.17 ฿38.23

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$0.67 ฿21.98

105.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.56 ฿18.32

14.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.92

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.02 SAR 26.33

$4.53 ฿148

54.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$0.89 ฿29.00

8.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.13 SAR 94.2

$19.38 ฿634

29.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 SAR 15.32

$1.35 ฿44.20

202.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.35 ฿44.05

37.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.01 SAR 63.8

$8.25 ฿270

106.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.27 ฿41.64

-50.39%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$20.2K SAR 75.9K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-4.31%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.2K SAR 90.8K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

7.64%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$98.8 SAR 371

$70.2 ฿2,294

40.86%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$31.97 SAR 120

$13.77 ฿450

132.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 SAR 244

$17.60 ฿575

269.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.0 SAR 330

$41.57 ฿1,360

111.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.90 SAR 135

$6.60 ฿216

443.94%

Cinema Ticket

$13.89 SAR 52.1

$5.78 ฿189

140.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$202 SAR 759

$306 ฿10.0K

-33.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,378 SAR 31.4K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-43.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.63 SAR 145

$54.4 ฿1,778

-28.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 SAR 233

$26.14 ฿855

137.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 SAR 313

$84.5 ฿2,764

-1.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 SAR 298

$69.4 ฿2,270

14.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 SAR 1,513

$424 ฿13.9K

-4.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 SAR 1,039

$238 ฿7,788

16.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 SAR 2,456

$825 ฿27.0K

-20.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 SAR 1,892

$515 ฿16.8K

-2.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,522 SAR 9,458

$2,049 ฿67.0K

23.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,316 SAR 4,934

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-13.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 SAR 6,008

$635 ฿20.8K

152.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.60%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jubail: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Jubail versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 152% higher in Jubail, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Jubail versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $191 in Jubail vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Jubail wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jubail vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jubail costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,575 per month in Jubail and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Jubail and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Jubail – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Jubail at $1,050. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jubail it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,050 in Jubail. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jubail makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.